Heat exchange tube retainer

Abstract

A heat exchange tube retainer includes a substantially flat base from one side of which project two tube-gripping parts. One part has a tube-receiving opening which opens away from the base. The other part has a tube-receiving opening which opens away from the one part.

I claim: 
     
       1. A heat exchange tube retainer comprising: a generally flat base;   a tube gripping member mounted on the base and having a heat exchange tube receiving recess therein, the recess opening in a first direction generally away from the base and extending along an axis; and   a tube gripping element mounted on the base, spaced apart from the member and having a heat exchange tube receiving channel therein, the channel opening in a second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction and generally away from the member and extending along an axis which is generally parallel to the axis of the recess.   
     
     
       2. The heat exchange tube retainer of claim 1, further comprising: a lever arm projecting from the member for use in pivoting the retainer about an axis of a tube received by the tube gripping element.   
     
     
       3. The retainer of claim 2, wherein: the member is positioned along the base at a point located between the element and the lever arm.   
     
     
       4. In a heat exchange apparatus having at least two parallel extending heat exchange tubes, fin means for transferring heat from said tubes to the environment, an inlet manifold having apertures for receiving one end of each tube and an outlet manifold having apertures for receiving another end of each tube, a tube retainer for preventing axial movement of the tubes with respect to the manifolds, the retainer comprising: a base;   a tube gripping member mounted on the base and having a recess therein for receiving one tube of said pair of tubes, the recess opening in a first direction generally away from the base; and   a tube gripping element mounted on the base, spaced apart from the member and having a channel therein for releasably receiving the other tube of said pair of tubes, the channel opening in a second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction and generally away from the member.   
     
     
       5. The tube retainer of claim 4, wherein: the retainer is pivotal about an axis of the other of said tubes to engage and disengage the tube gripping member from the one tube.   
     
     
       6. The tube retainer of claim 5, wherein: a lever arm projects from the member, the member being positioned along the base at a point located between the element and the lever arm.   
     
     
       7. A heat exchange apparatus comprising: at least first and second pairs of parallel extending heat exchange tubes;   fin means for transferring heat from said tubes to the environment;   an inlet manifold having apertures therein for receiving one end of each of said tubes;   an outlet manifold having apertures therein for receiving another end of each of said tubes; and   a first tube retainer for retaining the first pair of tubes within the heat exchange apparatus and a second tube retainer for retaining the second pair of tubes within the heat exchange apparatus, each tube retainer comprising a tube gripping element having a tube-receiving channel therein, a tube gripping member having a tube-receiving slot therein, a base rigidly interconnecting the member and the element, and a lever arm extending away from the member, the lever arm of one of the tube retainers being in overlapping engagement with the base of the other of the tube retainers when both retainers are mounted on their respective pairs of tubes.   
     
     
       8. The heat exchange apparatus of claim 7, wherein: each channel of each retainer opens in a direction facing generally away from the tube gripping member of said retainer.   
     
     
       9. The heat exchange apparatus of claim 8, wherein: each tube gripping member is positioned along the base at a point located between the lever arm and the tube gripping element of each tube retainer.   
     
     
       10. The heat exchange apparatus of claim 8, wherein: each slot is open in a direction substantially normal to the opening direction of the channel of each tube retainer.   
     
     
       11. The heat exchange apparatus of claim 10, wherein: each tube retainer is pivotal about the tube received its channel to engage and disengage the tube-gripping member from the heat exchange tube received by said member.   
     
     
       12. The heat exhange apparatus of claim 7, wherein: each tube retainer is pivotal about the tube received its channel to engage and disengage the tube-gripping member from the heat exchange tube received by said member.   
     
     
       13. The heat exchange apparatus of claim 12, wherein: an end portion of the base of the other tube retainer comprises a fulcrum for use in prying the lever arm of the one tube retainer away from said end portion to pivot the one tube retainer about the tube received by the channel of the one tube retainer.